U «Knyzi smikhu i zabuttya» Milan Kundera vkotre nahaduye chytacham zahalʹnovidomi, prote pryzabuti tezy. Zabuttya postaye v romani okremym lykhym personazhem, yakyy pozhyraye lyudsʹki stosunky, krayiny i tsili narody. Tsʹoho monstra zavzhdy provadytʹ dyyavolʹsʹkyy smikh — na protyvahu smikhu yanholʹsʹkomu, yakyy suprovodzhuye Pamʺyatʹ. Hranʹ mizh tsymy smikhamy tonka, bo yakshcho na sviti isnuye zabahato smyslu (yanholʹsʹkoyi vlady), lyudyna znemahaye pid yoho tyaharem, ta yakshcho svit vtrachaye budʹ-yakyy smysl (panuyutʹ dyyavoly) — zhyty tezh nemaye sensu.

Roman skladayetʹsya iz semy okremykh istoriy, obʺyednanykh spilʹnymy temamy.